


the bittersweet song of orpheus will bring you home to me

by Tatsumaki_sama



Series: The Odyssey of Bryce Wayne [5]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, Angst and Feels, Bittersweet Ending, Dimension Travel, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Female Bruce Wayne, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Kid Fic, Loss of Parent(s), Mother-Son Relationship, Motherhood, Parent-Child Relationship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-04 02:39:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16338239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumaki_sama/pseuds/Tatsumaki_sama
Summary: After being transported to another universe, Bryce comes across a blue-eyed boy with super strength who calls her Mom.





	the bittersweet song of orpheus will bring you home to me

**Author's Note:**

> This little idea has popped up in my mind some time ago, especially after I finished the Injustice AU story, wondering how Jon Kent would interact with Bryce. Also, there is no such thing as timeline here. I broke my own heart writing the ending which I deliberately left ambiguous and bittersweet.

At the sound of a small, dark-haired boy screaming “ Mom!” while simultaneously tackling her around the middle, Bryce came to a few conclusions.

 

She was almost one hundred percent certain this was not one of her boys. Damian only ever called her the stiff, formal “Mother”. The title “Mom” was reserved for Dick and Tim's biological parents (though upon occasion “Bryce” alone was a close enough substitute). Jason used a derisive, sarcastic intonation when calling her “Mom” to her face one time, even if the very sound of it made Bryce's chest ache.

 

Then again, a few moments earlier, Bryce had been hit with a beam of some sort, created by Vandal Savage, prior to waking up here. To make matters worse, she was not in uniform. Vandal Savage had chosen to interrupt the WayneEnterprise meeting when she was in business attire and did not have the chance to escape and change into Batwoman before being sent to this place.

 

Her mind proposed being in an alternate universe, time travel, parallel dimension or something of the sort. Bryce was thankfully not dead or incapacitated or in any state of distress.

 

Other than the fact that the boy hugging her was strong enough to drive out the air from her lungs.

 

The dark hair. The blue eyes. The strength in his grip around her waist, hard enough to bruise her ribs. It was clear the boy was related to Clark.

 

And the fact he recognized her and called her Mom ...

 

Bryce could feel a headache coming.

 

“ Mom. Mom,” the boy murmured, a dry sob wavering in his voice. “ I missed you. Why did you have to leave?”

 

A normal person might have said, “ Sorry, I'm not your mother” or even “ What is happening?”

 

But Bryce was not a normal person.

 

“ Where is your father?” she asked instead.

 

The boy finally released her and pouted. Not unlike Damian in his surlier moments. “ He's at home.”

 

“ Let's go there,” she said.

 

As it turned out, Bryce had been transported and landed in Smallville (she recognized those corn fields anywhere) and they were not far from Martha and Jonathan Kent's house.

 

The fact that the Clark of this world was living here and not Metropolis made her arch an eyebrow.

 

The boy, barely able to contain his composure, practically shot through the door and into the familiar Kent kitchen where a broad-shouldered man was cleaning the dishes.

 

“ Dad! You won't believe it but look who I found!” he excitedly said and his father turned around.

 

There was no mistaking it was Clark. He appeared a little older, more lines of stress across his brow and around his eyes. He looked thinner and more exhausted, to Bryce's surprise. Did this have to do with her double's death or disappearance?

 

“ Jon, you don't have to yell in the – ”

 

Clark froze when he saw just who exactly was standing behind his son.

 

Bryce could only count on one hand all the times she had seen or known Clark to drop something and being too shocked to be fast enough to stop it from shattering on the floor.

 

From the way Jon – named after his paternal grandfather, Bryce noted – looked dumbfounded at his father breaking the dishes, it was not a common occurrence on this end.

 

Clark looked like he was about to collapse. He was gripping the counter behind him, hard enough to leave cracks.

 

“ Dad?” Jon looked concerned.

 

To spare some confusion and misunderstanding, Bryce edged sideways from behind Jon. “ I met your son not too far from here,” she calmly said, shooting Clark a look that she hoped was able to convey her intent.

 

_We need to talk. Privately._

 

Thankfully, this Clark was able to read her just as well as her Clark. He managed to compose himself, taking a breath in. “ Jon, why don't you go finish your chores?”

 

“ What? Why?”

 

Clark's eyes never left Bryce. “ You promised me that you would clean up the barn yesterday.”

 

“ Yeah, but that was yesterday. Mom is back, she's _back_ , Dad, and I – ”

 

“ I know.” Clark was gentle but firm. “ But I need to speak to her alone. Please go finish your chores.”

 

Jon opened his mouth again, eyes flashing in stubbornness and exasperation, refusing to budge on the matter.

 

Not unlike his mother on her more irritable moments.

 

“ Jon.”

 

Clark and the boy – _their_ son – turned to look at her. Bryce leveled a stern gaze at Jon, similar to the ones she used on Damian when he was in a petulant mood. “ Listen to your father. Finish your chores. I'm not going anywhere at the moment.”

 

At least, that was what Bryce hoped, if whatever it was that brought her here would keep her tethered to this world for a little while longer. She would hate to break a promise to a child. Especially one with perfectly blue puppy eyes like Clark's.

 

With a long-suffering sigh, Jon gave Bryce one more extra tight hug - “ Don't go anywhere until I'm back, okay?” he whispered – before sprinting off, faster than any regular human boy and out the door.

 

“ Even now, he only listens to his mother,” Clark muttered half-exasperated half-amused under his breath.

 

Now that Jon was out of the room – and hopefully hadn't developed super-hearing yet – Bryce went straight to the matter.

 

“ Alternate universe or temporal displacement due to Vandal Savage's mechanisms is my guess why I am here,” she bluntly said.

 

Clark blinked, slowly absorbing that information, before breaking out a small smile. “ You are as straightforward as ever. Some things don't change,” he chuckled.

 

“ And some things do,” Bryce dryly said, eyeing the wedding ring around his finger.

 

She wondered how this Clark managed to convince the other her. Her Clark had yet to broach the topic of marriage despite the many years and her own persistent refusal to talk about it or consider it.

 

Clark grinned, looking a little more like the Clark she knew. “ I was very convincing,” he said smugly, as if he could read her mind.

 

She humphed. Both she and Clark knew she would (eventually) cave in to Clark's demands, as much as Bryce would deny it.

 

Time to address the elephant in the room. “ The Bryce in this world died,” she said plainly and simply.

 

Clark closed his eyes briefly, pain and grief evident across his face. Bryce regretted saying it but she had to know.

 

“ Yes.”

 

Bryce debated to ask how and when and by who but held her tongue. Getting too involved with temporal displacements or alternate universes, especially when it involved her future or potential death, always spelled trouble. “ What about Dick?” she asked instead. “ Alfred? Tim and Damian? Jason?”

 

“ They're all in Gotham still,” Clark evasively said. “ Alfred visits sometimes on the weekends.”

 

She raised an eyebrow. Since when was the infamous Boy Scout secretive when it came to her family? A falling out perhaps after the other Bryce's death?

 

“ Your parents?”

 

Clark smiled sadly. “ No longer here.”

 

“ The three of you lived in Smallville?”

 

“ Only me and Jon. Jon was just a toddler when we moved here.”

 

“ And the other me stayed in Gotham?”

 

“ You didn't like being away from us but you did.”

 

“ Why?”

 

“ On record, Bryce Wayne and Clark Kent never married and had a child.”

 

“ For the boy's safety and my insistence, I presume.”

 

“ For Jon's safety and your insistence.”

 

“ No capes then?”

 

“ Not to Jon's knowledge.”

 

“ Hnn.”

 

It seemed that this world was not too different from her own, other than the fact she and Clark were married and there was a half-human half-Kryptonian child running around. The rapid fire question and answering provided sufficient information for Bryce for the time being, though many more questions took its place.

 

Though the questions would have to wait as Clark approached her.

 

“ I know you are not her,” he quietly said. “ But I just have to say ... It's good seeing you again, Bryce. I've ... missed you.”

 

The longing in his voice was palpable. His body stance and the yearning way his eyes gazed at her like a man in a desert finally finding an oasis indicated that Clark would have loved nothing more than to take her into his arms and kiss her into oblivion.

 

This could be Clark, her Clark, one day. Bryce had no luxury about the lifestyle she had chosen. It would not be old age that would claim her, that she and Clark knew well enough. And it would be inevitable and there was the higher probability that Clark would certainly outlive her.

 

And in this universe, he was left alone to raise their son.

 

The sight of this Clark made Bryce wish that she could give him some measure of peace he had been denied of, even if her words are of little value.

 

She stepped forward closer to Clark, toeing a dangerous line of breaking her own rules when it came with dealing with doubles from alternate universes.

 

Clark's eyes widened but said nothing, made no motion to stop her.

 

But just then, Jon barged through the door, hair wild and huffing out of breath.

 

“ I'm back!”

 

Bryce withdrew, feeling somewhat guilty and foolish and angry at herself for nearly giving in. Clark bit back a sigh but his expression was neutral as he turned around to chide Jon for almost breaking the door.

 

~.~.~

 

Jon was chattering to Bryce non-stop throughout lunch.

 

He reminded her of Dick when he was younger, cheerful and quick to bounce from topic to topic with the enthusiasm of a hyperactive puppy. She wondered if the Dick in this world had met Jon and what he thought of her son.

 

Speaking of sons, Bryce could only wryly imagine how Damian would react to Jon whose bright smile and friendly personality was the near complete opposite to him. Not to mention Bryce having another biological son who now took the position of the youngest Wayne child.

 

Damian would have thrown a fit.

 

“ – and during the race, I remember you told me not to run too fast so I made sure not to outrun any of the other boys. So I got second place! And I wasn't even out of breath!”

 

“ That is good,” she said, trying not to sound too awkward.

 

Bryce was left uncertain how to properly respond. How would the mother Jon knew have reacted? She had experience as a mother but not with Jon, who was an unknown entity to her.

 

So Bryce kept her answers clipped and short and minimal, hoping it was enough.

 

In fact, judging from the way Jon brightened with each response and how his smile swelled with happiness, she was not acting any differently from her counterpart.

 

Clark's own wistful expression made Bryce partly wish that she didn't act so similarly.

 

After lunch, Jon took her hand and led her back to his bedroom where he undoubtedly had plenty of things to show her.

 

It was a strangely awkward yet comforting thing to have Jon so casually and willingly hold her hand. It had been a long time since any of her children did that with Bryce. Those were but fond memories in the past.

 

Jon did it with ease, tiny fingers curling over her own, like they knew their place there. Based off his physical appearance, he must be approximately nine to twelve years of age, just a few years younger than Damian, old enough that he would not need to hold his mother's hand.

 

But from his earlier reaction at seeing Bryce, it was not hard to deduce that he was simply missing his mother and reverted back to old behaviours.

 

His room was brilliantly decorated, filled with posters of sport teams and movies. There were toys and video games scattered on the floor and an unkempt bed. There was a photo frame of the three of them, Jon a little younger than he was now, settled in the lap of his mother. They were all smiling.

 

What a happy family they were.

 

Jon led her to a desk where Bryce spied unfinished homework. He begged her for assistance which puzzled her. Surely wouldn't Clark help his son with this?

 

“ Dad's not bad at helping,” Jon shrugged when she pointed this out. “ But the way you explain things is better.”

 

Whether that was the truth or this was simply a means orchestrated by Jon to spend more time with the other Bryce who spent long periods of time away from him, Bryce was in no position to judge.

 

Not too long after Bryce had pointed out several mathematical errors and grammar mistakes in his assignments to Jon's grumbling, there was a slight rumble, strong enough to rattle the windows. A creak of a door opening. Clark, surprised but calm, was speaking to someone in a low tone, someone with a very familiar voice.

 

“ Mom? What is it?”

 

She knew it was time to leave.

 

“ Stay here, Jon,” Bryce firmly said.

 

Confused, Jon nodded.

 

And Bryce went downstairs.

 

It was slightly disconcerting to see two Clarks standing in the the Kent kitchen. There was the older Clark and one wearing the Superman attire.

 

Her Clark.

 

Clark's face broke into an enormous smile the moment he saw her.

 

“ Bryce.”

 

The relief was evident in his voice.

 

“ Clark.”

 

She was relieved to see him too. Not that she would let him know that.

 

“ You managed to get Savage to talk?”

 

Clark sheepishly scratched his head. “ Not quite. Diana and Arthur forced his hand. But we figured it out either way. Let's go home.”

 

Home sounded nice. Bryce turned to the older Clark. “ Thank you for the meal,” she brusquely said.

 

“ No, thank _you_ ,” the older Clark said. He smiled, looking a little more like his younger self. “ You have made a difficult time for us a little less difficult.”

 

It wasn't hard to fall in love with Jon so quickly and effortlessly. All the more harder to leave him in a world without his mother again. “ Take care of Jon,” she said instead. It was all she could offer to the older Clark.

 

“ Will do.”

 

He looked over at the younger Clark. “ Take care of her,” he said, voice heavy with emotion.

 

“ I will,” her Clark promised, placing a hand on her shoulder.

 

It would be best to leave now, leave without any further ado. Leave and let Jon believe it was all just some dream.

 

“ Mom? And ... Dad? Err, I mean, Dads?”

 

Of course, she should have known that Jon would not listen to her instruction of staying in his room.

 

Her Clark's eyes widened at the sight of a young boy who greatly resembled him when he was that age standing at the bottom of the staircase.

 

Bryce did not need to turn around to know there was a confused and heartbroken expression on Jon's face. He was looking between her and the two Clarks and realization was slowly hitting him.

 

“ Jon,” she began.

 

“ You're leaving? But – but we just got you back!” Jon's bottom lip trembled. “ Mom, please, _please_. Don't go. Don't leave again.”

 

And that alone was almost enough to convince Bryce to stay here with him.

 

But she couldn't.

 

Instead, Bryce knelt down in front of Jon who could not stop the tears from spilling forth. Her hands, steady and gentle, gripped his trembling shoulders. “ I have to go, Jon,” she softly said. “ I wish I didn't but I do. Do you understand, Jon? I don't belong here in this world, your world.”

 

“ Then I'll come with you!” Jon furiously said. He stared pleadingly to his father. “ _We_ can come with you!”

 

“ Jon ...” his father started saying.

 

“ It's _not_ fair!” In a fit of childish anger, Jon stamped his foot. The floorboard groaned. “ It's not fair that you are always going and leaving us!”

 

“ It isn't,” Bryce quietly agreed. “ But you are strong. You and your father. You have each other now. The two of you will get through this. It is not easy and it will take time. But I know you will.” She paused. “ Your mother would have been proud of you. I know this, because _I_ am.”

 

There was so much to say and too much that she shouldn't say but Bryce wasn't able to continue (thankfully) as Jon threw himself into her arms.

 

“ I love you, Mom,” he murmured into her hair, heaving a shaky sob.

 

“ Love you too, Jon,” she whispered back, the words coming surprisingly easily.

 

What seemed like an eternity later, the older Clark gently pulled Jon away and Bryce reluctantly let go.

 

She gave the older Clark a nod. There were no words or anything else she could say or do that could make this moment any less painful.

 

He nodded back, eyes suspiciously bright.

 

Without another word, Bryce marched towards her Clark (she wished he would stop looking at her like that, a mixture of pity, sorrow and understanding), head held high. Because if she turned around, she would not be able to stop.

 

“ Good bye Mom.”

 

“ I'll always love you, Bryce.”

 

She closed her eyes.

 

~.~.~

 

Bryce hugged all her boys once she was back.

 

Damian complained he was too old for hugs, even if he was the one to tighten his hold over her waist. Tim was surprised but willing, pressing his face into her shoulder like he never wanted to let go. After a moment, Dick walked right into her arms, almost jumping right into them. Jason was harder to initiate – including a threat of a trashed Bat Cave if she tried to come near him – but he eventually conceded.

 

It was not enough to bury the ache that lingered deep in her chest, but it was close enough.

 

Clark, always patient, waited until she was ready to talk.

 

“ We were married,” he said with a quietly awestruck voice after she finished telling him. “ We had a son.”

 

“ In that world, yes.”

 

Bryce already knew what Clark was thinking, thinking of all those times that they could have, all the missed opportunities and chances, all those moments that would never be.

 

That was why she disliked alternate universes. They presented endless possibilities and all the uncertainty associated with it. All the what-ifs and all the maybes.

 

All the choices they could have made but didn't.

 

A warm hand touched her shoulder. “ I hope there is a universe out there where the three of them are happy together,” Clark softly said.

 

Bryce leaned back, just enough to brush her back against Clark's arm.

 

“ I hope so too.”

 


End file.
